After All These Years
by theregoeseverything
Summary: Bellamy had been searching for years for the man that saved him from drowning when he was just a boy and looks for hope in his favorite professor who holds several secrets that will soon be revealed. Murphamy one shot.
Bellamy was quickly approaching graduation from Hogwarts and was overwhelmed with OWLs and school work. He knocked on Professor Murphy's door in hopes for guidance as he had every other day for the past few weeks. The professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts had taken special interest in him and Bellamy thought it was because he saw potential in him, which caused Bellamy to strive to become the best wizard he could be – though still not at the top of his class. Or perhaps it was the professor's way of thanking him. None of his students ever took him seriously with such a young face and many acted up in his class, being disruptive. Not even the fact that their professor was a vampire scared them off. Bellamy, however, new exactly how to shut each student up with a single, threatening glare.

The door opened and Bellamy was greeted by the professor's young face and wise eyes. His skin was deathly pale, unchanged from the first day that the two met from Bellamy's first day at Hogwarts.

"Come on in, Bellamy. Take a seat," Murphy spoke softly, raising a hand to invite him into his office. Bellamy smiled appreciatively at him as he passed, taking a seat at the desk available in the center of the room. Murphy's eyes observed him settle in and take out his text books.

Professor Murphy's office was a good place to force Bellamy to study and get work done. He had an ever watchful eye over his shoulder that prevented distractions, and whenever he had a question, the professor was always right there with the answer.

"Bellamy, have you decided what you'd like to do when you graduate from Hogwarts?" Murphy asked curiously as he paced his office.

Bellamy looked up from his textbook and turned his head to look up at his professor. Murphy stopped to stare back at him.

"Does the wizarding world have detectives, Professor?" Bellamy asked, placing a hand on the back of his chair.

"Of course it does. There are auror specialists that do the kind of muggle detective work. Why's that?"

"I've spent my entire life searching for this person…I know it sounds crazy-"

"It doesn't," Murphy replied a little too hastily, his face rather too serious, "I'm sorry, please continue."

"Anyway, I want to find the person that saved me from drowning when I was just a kid," Bellamy finished.

"A noble cause. I-I hope you find your man," Murphy's gaze dropped, darting across the ground as though looking for his own answer like it was dropped on the floor.

"Something wrong, professor?" Bellamy's face crumpled in confusion and sympathy.

"No, no. Just, get back to work. You're going to need to study hard to be an auror…especially if you want to be a specialist," Murphy turned his back to him to hide his pained expression.

"You're right," Bellamy turned back around in his chair, turning his attention back to his text once more.

Murphy's insides were utter turmoil. His mind raced, tossing thoughts around and creating knots in his brain that was starting to give him a headache. He walked over to a cabinet near the corner of his office and opened it to reveal several vials. He took one with shaking hands, and released the cork, tipping the opened end in into his mouth, throwing his head back with it. The thick, red, liquid contents spilled onto his tongue with a bitter taste and he immediately replaced the cork into the vial and placed the empty vial on the opposite side of the cabinet with other empty ones. Murphy let out an uneasy sigh and closed the cabinet as he exhaled.

"Are you sure everything's alright, professor?"

Murphy turned and saw that Bellamy had been turned in his seat again, facing him as he had watched him drink from the vial.

"Focus, Bellamy!" Murphy hissed irritably, hands clasped on the top of the vial cabinet.

Hesitantly, Bellamy obeyed and turned back to his text. He had come here to escape distractions after all. So why was he so distracted with the professor this time round? He seemed off, as though he was hiding something. Bellamy was too curious and needed to know, but before he could turn back to Murphy-

"You know…I don't even like kids," Murphy stated quietly. This statement sent Bellamy's head reeling into even more confusion. What was he going on about?

"I'm sorry…I don't understand," Bellamy questioned, deciding to keep his head in his book.

"I had to keep an eye on you, though," Murphy continued to explain.

Bellamy stopped reading, his gaze held over the rim of his book and his eyes began to widen. He stood abruptly from his chair, quill knocked to the floor.

"You can't seriously!" Bellamy shouted.

Murphy nodded with closed eyes, attempting to hold back the rush of emotions. Bellamy rushed at him and pushed his shoulders back in disbelief.

"How could you never tell me?!" Bellamy continued to shout, frustrated and fuming.

"I-"

"It's tortured me all these years!"

"I'm sorry-"

"I had no closure!"

"I know-"

"Why didn't you tell me!?" Bellamy repeated.

"Because I couldn't!" Murphy burst, pushing Bellamy back away from him.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I'm afraid of my feelings for you," Murphy began shouting but the end of his sentence became a mumble.

"What feelings?" Bellamy began to calm down.

"Forget about it…just…get out of my office," Murphy started for the door but Bellamy grabbed his shoulder.

"What feelings?" Bellamy asked more loudly.

"I said get out," Murphy repeated, escaping Bellamy's grasp and opening the door for him to leave. Bellamy grabbed his things in a huff and stormed toward the door, stopping before Murphy, but refused to look him in the eyes.

"I want to…thank you…" Bellamy said quietly, almost under his breath.

"Please, just go…" Murphy asked more politely as he looked up at Bellamy and noticed that his faced had turned bright red from blushing, "You may come back tomorrow."

"I will," Bellamy replied as he walked away.


End file.
